LG OLED TV 2017 explored: Wallpaper, G7, E7, C7 and B7 compared

LG is staying committed to OLED in 2017, introducing another Signature model at the top of the range, expanding to five OLED models, each in two sizes. The fight against top-level LED TVs continues, with Samsung particularly turning up the heat with its new QLED models.

Although the likes of Sony, Panasonic and Philips have all added OLED TVs to their respective offerings, it's LG who is still leading the charge with a line-up of sets for all types of customer, and particularly those interesting in premium TV, where OLED sits.

LG OLED improvements in 2017

Before we start, one thing to note is that all of the OLED TVs use the same panel. Unlike a company like Samsung that has slightly different configurations across its range, the OLED panels in LG's 2017 range are all the same. There's no 3D support, a feature dropped from 2016.

Brightness

Targets for improvements in 2017 over 2016 come in a number of areas. The biggest change is in increasing brightness. This has been the biggest criticism of OLED in the era of HDR, as it's less bright than LED. LG now says that its OLED panels are 25 per cent brighter, meaning it can deliver greater punch for more impactful highlights, a real benefit for HDR.

Black performance

Black is what OLED has always been about. Because each pixel creates its own light, rather than relying on a lighting source arrayed behind or to the side, the panel can turn off the light more precisely. That means no bleed from an area that's black into a neighbouring area that's supposed to be not black. LG's target in 2017 has been to improve the performance of the picture just above black, where sometimes the very dark shades crash into black, losing low level gradation.

New polariser

There's a new polariser layer that aims to boost blacks too. The real aim is ensure that the panel looks even across its entire width and that there's no lightening toward the very edges. This should give a more universal look across the TV and make sure that stays correct no matter what the viewing angle is.

Active HDR with dynamic data insertion

HDR is always pitched as an "as the director intended" technology. The pursuit of HDR has resulted in improved colours, increased contrast and the ability to push brighter highlights alongside deeper shadows, it's very much the wow feature of modern TVs. But LG is now looking to improve the performance of those HDR standards that aren't as well placed as others. HDR10 and HLG, for example, use static metadata, whereas Dolby Vision provides data for each frame.

Say hello to Active HDR on LG's 2017 TVs. This aims to insert data to boost the performance of those lesser formats, meaning that you should effectively upscale your HDR10 and HLG content (when it eventually appears).

LG Signature OLED TV W

The W, or Wallpaper, is one of the most distinctive TVs currently available. LG refers to it as picture on wall, because it's basically just an OLED panel, on your wall and only 2.57mm thick. When magnetically mounted, it's only 4mm thick.

It's a high-end design piece for sure, coming with a separate Dolby Atmos soundbar to provide the sound. This soundbar also has all the connections for the TV as the panel has no connections itself. Connecting the two is via a flat cable, which is the only input for the TV that you need to consider.

The panel itself, however, is the same as LG uses in across its other OLED TVs, ensuring fantastic quality, support for a wide range of HDR formats, including Dolby Vision, and all powered by webOS. Stunning, but expensive.

LG OLED G7

The LG OLED G7 updates and replaces last year's flagship, the excellent OLED G6, but steps down a little in price to accommodate the Signature W that now tops the range. LG still calls this a Signature model, so it's very much still a flagship, only a little more conventional.

It uses LG's picture on glass design, meaning it's still super slim and it looks frameless, blending with the wall behind it as the only bezel elements are translucent. The big thing about the G7 is the integrated soundbar stand. This folds out of the way when you mount the TV on the wall, making it an elegant and versatile design.

You get all the connectivity and the webOS user interface with satellite or terrestrial broadcast tuners and Dolby Atmos support again. Here you have that 60W 4.2 soundbar integrated, attempting to create those Atmos immersive audio effects.

LG

LG OLED E7

The OLED E7 likewise updates the OLED E6 of 2016. It sticks to the picture on glass design and like the G7 has an integrated soundbar. As we have said previously this uses the same panel as the other TVs, but notably drops in size down to a 55-inch model, which for many average households will increase its practicality, as well as pulling the price down.

Here the soundbar stand drops to a 40W 2.2, although the TV will still aim to create immersive Dolby Atmos sound, but the design is very close to the Signature G7 that sits in the position above it.

LG OLED C7

The OLED C7 heads towards the entry point for LG's OLED TVs and as such steps down from the picture on glass design with its translucent frame, to a design that's still very thin, but with a little more of a noticeable bezel and a central elegant stand.

There's also no integrated soundbar on this TV, so if you've already got a sound system you want to use, then it's perhaps the TV for you. The internal speakers however are 40W 2.2ch and again will attempt to create a Dolby Atmos effect.

As we've said for each of the these TVs, the panel is the same, so even though this is a couple of steps into the range, you'll still get stunning picture performance from the C7. The OLED C6 in 2016 was curved, but now this model is flat, so it its even closer to the B7 in terms of specifications.

LG

LG OLED B7

The LG OLED B7 would logically be the starting point to the range, although this TV - as well as having the same panel as all the rest, is the same price and spec as the C7. It also comes in the same sizes.

The B7 is flat and the thing that separates it from the C7 is in design, with the curved stand making it a little different from the "Alpine" stand of the C7.

Otherwise you have that glorious UHD panel with support for lots of different HDR formats, you have the really slick webOS interface with a whole stack of connected services and you again have support for Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

LG's main points of differentiation are in design and audio, with all these TVs offering the same visuals. With that in mind, we suspect that the lower prices of the C7 and B7 will prove hard to resist.